Police have arrested a male, 25, with arson after a Shaver’s Bench home went up in flames early Tuesday morning.
Acting Sgt. Devon Reid confirmed the man is known to police and the arson was not a random act.
In addition to Arson and Break and Enter to a residence in Trail, the unnamed male is facing numerous other charges that include Assault Causing Bodily Harm, and Uttering Threats.
The latter charges follow a separate crime that came to light following the man’s initial arrest and an ongoing investigation by the Greater Trail RCMP detachment.
The same suspect has been charged with assaulting a senior man in downtown Trail in the early morning hours of Tuesday (Aug. 22), Reid reported Thursday morning.
“Since the initial arrest, police continued to investigate,” Reid explained. “And have subsequently arrested the same male for two more counts of Uttering Threats, Obstruction of a Police Officer and the Aggravated Assault of an elderly male.”
The suspect has been remanded in custody with an initial court appearance slated for Aug. 30 in Rossland Provincial Court.
Police say the man’s name will not be released pending his first court appearance, and such time official charges are sworn in by the Crown.
Firefighters from Trail and Warfield responded to a house fire at 1674 East Street at 4:33 a.m. Tuesday.
The intensity of the heat brought down a power line and blew up a propane tank as fire crews tried to enter the home, which was billowing heavy black smoke upon their arrival.
Grant Tyson, operations captain for Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue, said an initial report stated that people were in the home, but they later learned the occupants were away.
The fire was deemed suspicious and under investigation by police.
No injuries were reported.